The First Date
by crossingboston
Summary: Oliver and Shane finally embark upon their first official date. The evening starts off awkwardly, and Shane wonders whether she needs a new dating venue. The characters are from the wonderful mind of Martha Williamson. I've done my best to pay homage to her by seeking to keep true to the characters, but the musings, and any shortfalls in this story are my own.
1. Chapter 1

Oliver checked his watch as he entered Blooms and Hugs. It was fortuitous that traffic had been extraordinarily light on this Saturday evening. The bell over the door announced his arrival, and the pretty blonde floral arranger, Ellie, looked up.

"Oliver," she exclaimed with enthusiasm, a wide grin spreading across her face. She made her way to him and encircled him with a big hug. He couldn't help but feel affection for her.

"Hello, Ellie", he said smiling back at her, returning the hug.

She called to her husband. "Bobby, Oliver is here!"

Oliver heard rustling noises in the back, and then Bobby appeared, his smile as bright as Ellie's. He hugged Oliver too, and looked lovingly at his bride.

Oliver looked at the couple, reflecting on how Divine Delivery had caused the couple and the DLO to intersect. When he and Shane had delivered Ellie's letter, he found a couple deeply in love, wanting to get married, but Ellie's parents, specifically her father, had been reluctant to let it happen. Ellie had Down syndrome, and her beau, an intellectual disability. But their love had been perfect, and Oliver and Shane had been blessed to help their marriage happen. He found it ironic that as he sought to begin a relationship with Shane, he found himself in the presence of this couple that had overcome so much.

"We have your order ready. Ellie prepared it", Bobby said, gazing proudly at Ellie.

"A dozen yellow roses", Ellie said, a questioning tone.

"Yellow roses have special meaning for Shane."

The answer to Ellie's unspoken question made her eyes go wide. "I'm going to get the roses, but I'd like to add a few more stars. I know Shane will love that." She quickly moved to retrieve the bouquet and add her special touches.

Bobby looked at Oliver, eyes narrowing as he took Oliver in. "You look nervous. Is this a first date?"

Oliver thoughtfully nodded. "Is it that obvious?"

"It's written all over your face." Bobby hesitated a moment. "May I offer you a word of advice?" he asked.

"Please do", Oliver implored and looked Bobby in the eye.

"If you think this is something special, don't think, just jump in. It's worth it. Love is worth it."

Oliver nodded, wondered how to respond, but was saved from doing so as Ellie appeared with the bouquet. It waswrapped in navy paper adorned with golden stars, a matching ribbon twisted into a lovely bow around the paper. There were stars in the bouquet with the roses and baby's breath. The flowers were perfectly prepared with such care. He told her so, and he hoped his evening would turn out as perfectly as the flowers had.

A rush of emotions went through him, emotions he was unaccustomed to feeling. He was anxious about this date. He felt affection from this wonderful, capable, _married,_ couple who had just helped him. And he felt grateful—that his lives had intersected with theirs and that a clerical error (or Becky Starkwell) had brought Shane to the DLO.

Oliver thanked Ellie and Bobby, and with a final hug, he returned to his car.


	2. Chapter 2

She checked her phone—6:45. That meant Oliver would be there in 15 minutes. No…this was Oliver. He'd be there in about 7 and a half. He was always _early_.

She looked through her jewelry, searching for just the right necklace to go with the blue dress she'd selected tonight. She added the necklace with a citrine stone to her neck. The length was perfect, just long enough so she could see both this necklace and the necklace from her parents that she never removed. She put on a bracelet that perfectly complemented the necklace.

She took one last glance in the mirror. Her hair had behaved perfectly. She'd loved the way it turned out, with two loose braid circling the equally loose bun. It took a couple of tries to get it right. The YouTube tutorial had seemed easy enough, but it was a little trickier when you attempted the braid with your own hands using a series of mirrors set up so she could see every angle. Doing her hair had given her something to focus on when she just couldn't shake these darned butterflies.

The doorbell rang. Her stomach flip-flopped, and her heartrate quadrupled. She took another deep breath, let it out slowly, and headed toward the door.


	3. Chapter 3

Oliver felt fortunate that traffic remained light, but even so, the journey to Shane's home seemed to last forever. As he approached her street, his apprehension grew. He couldn't recall a time when his nerves impacted him so. He parked the car by the curb, gingerly reached for the bouquet of roses, and went through Shane's front gate and up the steps.

He paused by the porch swing. Buying it had been a bold move at just the right time. When Holly returned from Paris, Shane had assumed that it meant a blissful reunion and that…well it would have been the worst mistake, as terrible a mistake as her quitting the DLO and leaving the USPS. When he'd finally closed that door on his relationship with Holly, he'd immediately thought of Shane, and that wonderful, personal glimpse she'd given him into the happiest parts of her childhood, all because of a porch swing. It was the middle of the night, but he'd been determined to bring her that happiness right then and there. He'd nearly been arrested as he built the swing, but it had all been worth it to witness the almost dreamy nostalgia this swing brought out in her. It had changed their relationship as well.

When he sat on that porch swing with Shane, he felt a stillness, a sense of contentment. He wished for some of that contentment now. He took a deep breath, let it out slowly, and rang the doorbell.


	4. Chapter 4

Shane opened the door a little too quickly. _Smooth,_ she thought. Oliver stood before her, impossibly handsome, and it took everything in her not to reach out and touch his cheek, his too-perfect hair. She smiled. "Hello, Oliver, come in, please." Her voice sounded different to her, oddly formal.

"You look lovely," he said, and her heart soared, her cheeks flushing. Flustered, she looked down so he couldn't see the blush creeping across her cheeks.

"Thank you, Oliver." She said quietly, hardly believing that she felt even more nervous than she had on first date back in junior high.

She suddenly noticed the beautiful bouquet of flowers he was carrying.

He stumbled with is words "Uh…these are for you", and he held them out to her.

She accepted the flowers, looked at the stars, feeling suddenly touched, and looked up at him. "You've been to see Ellie and Bobby! How are they?"

"Yes, I did see them. They are well…happy. Ellie put some extra care into these flowers. She added the ribbon and some extra stars once she learned they were for you."

She met his eyes. The fact that he'd told Ellie and Bobby that the flowers were for her meant something. And they were yellow roses. Some women preferred long-stem red roses. She preferred yellow. "Yellow roses." She commented through a smile.

"I wanted to remind you of the first rose of summer," he said and nodded.


	5. Chapter 5

Shane was worried. And nervous. The date seemed to have started off well, though they both had experienced some jitters. When Oliver was nervous, he tended to stutter or stumble over his words. But tonight, ever since Nicki greeted them and handed them their menus, he really wasn't talking much at all. She didn't think she'd done something to upset him, but perhaps she had.

She wondered if they should've considered somewhere other than Montaldo's. If she was honest with herself, though the atmostphere was wonderful and the food was incredible, her dates (or non-dates) there had either been or ended in disaster. She hoped this night would be different. But first, she had to figure out if Oliver was upset with her.

She pursed her lips, furrowed her brows, and peered over the menu at Oliver. She still remembered the sting of their last time together here, how he'd uttered the heart-wrenching "just friends" phrase, and how that night had just gone so wrong despite starting out somewhat right. She remembered wiping a tear away at the table where they sat, then wiping away more when she'd returned home.

She had been sure they'd moved past all that. They'd gotten closer, especially after Oliver's misadventure with Joe in El Dorado Canyon, but she was beginning to fear that labeling any outing a date with Oliver O'Toole would result in disaster. She had to know if something was wrong.

Nicki appeared at their table and began speaking about specials, but Shane heard none of it. She glanced at Oliver and at her menu, as so many thoughts raced through her head. She suddenly noticed both Nicki and Oliver were looking at her expectantly. "Would you like me to order the wine, Shane," he asked, ever the gentleman.

"Sure", she murmured, and noted that he ordered a red. _Great. If he ordered clams, she was doomed_.

Nicki left to retrieve the wine, and Oliver and Shane returned to perusing the menus. Shane noticed that one of the specials featured clams. She suddenly had to know.

"Oliver, did you notice that there's a dish with linguini and clams with a white wine butter reduction?" She asked and did her best to innocently meet his gaze.

Oliver glanced back at the menu, spotting the dish, but shook his head almost imperceptibly. That dish looks wonderful, but I'm not in the mood for clams tonight". Shane breathed a sigh of relief. No clams. He wasn't upset with her.

Nicki returned with the wine, expertly uncorked it, and offered it to Oliver to taste. He swirled it, sniffed it, and took a taste. "This is excellent", he stated. Nicki poured their glasses and took their orders, and then they were left to face each other, without the safety of their menus. This was painful.

Thankfully, the music began to play.


	6. Chapter 6

Oliver felt uncomfortable. For some reason, the conversation between Shane and him had not come easily tonight. Having their menus in front of them had provided an excuse for silence or simple small talk, but now the menus were removed from the table, and they were left to their own devices again.

He all but sighed with tremendous relief when the music began. He looked at Shane from across the table, desperately hoping to rescue the evening. "Would you care to dance, Shane?"

Her heart skipped a beat every time he said her name. She smiled and nodded. He rose before her, held out his hand, she took it, letting him lead her to the dance floor. For some reason, things usually seemed less awkward between them when they were dancing.

Oliver selected a perfect spot, one that was quiet, but with a view of their table. He stopped, pulled her close, placing a hand on her back, drawing her hand to his, and they began to dance. He thought it would make the conversation come more easily, but words once again failed him. They danced the steps, and he allowed himself to be lulled by the rhythm, holding Shane close to him. He moved almost imperceptibly closer. Shane stopped dancing and stepped back, but retained her grasp on his hand.

"Is everything alright, Shane," he asked quietly, concerned.

She said "yes", and he felt immediate relief. But then she shook her head and said "no".

Oliver was confused.

"You seem distant tonight, Oliver. Not physically. We're definitely in close quarters now. You've hardly said a word. Is something wrong?" She paused, then went on. "I've been so nervous, and I wanted everything to be perfect, and you're so quiet. I hope I haven't done something wrong." She felt like she was rambling.

Oliver smiled cocked his head a bit and leaned in to whisper "Come back Shane."

They both chuckled, and she shook her head at him and the cliché cinematic tension vanished, and he drew her in to dance again.

"I have a confession to make", he began. _"This night…this date,_ has me a little bit out of sorts as well. I'm not accustomed to feeling like this. I am nervous too. Maybe it's because it feels so…"

"Important" they said together.

"Do you think we start all over?" Oliver asked, grinning sheepishly. Shane nodded, they both took a deep breath, and Oliver pulled her closer, relief washing over him. They danced until their dinner arrived.


	7. Chapter 7

Shane was relieved. Once Oliver uttered "Come back, Shane", the ice had been broken, and things seemed more natural between them. They talked about Rita and Norman and about what an incredible team they made inside the DLO and out. They talked about the new smoothie station at the Denver Branch, affectionately dubbed Eleanor's blends. The evening seemed to go by so quickly once they began talking.

Nicki returned to the table with dessert menus. Though neither wanted the evening to end, neither seemed to want dessert. Shane suggested they return to her house where they could continue the conversation on her porch swing, and it had not been a mistake. They talked about the next O'Toole Foundation project, and then Shane steered the conversation to the time Oliver and his father had spent in El Dorado Canyon.

Oliver had shared some of what happened when they were in the chapel at Denver Mercy Hospital, but she knew there'd be more to say. That experience had been life changing, for all of them.

"When dad fell, "Oliver began, "it all seemed so harmless. It was just a small cut. Neither one of us anticipated that he could get sick. It was frightening how quickly he declined. He'd smashed his cell phone when he fell, and we were alone in the woods in the dark, with no way to get help. The only thing I could do was pray for his survival. Before he got sick, he told me I needed to leave my pain on the mountain, and I vowed that if we made it off that mountain together, I would. I wanted desperately to have that chance."

"You're not the only one who prayed that night." Shane said quietly. She looked him in the eye. I went to Joe's. I saw your car there, but neither of you were there." Her face changed, and he could see how deeply shaken she had been.

"I was afraid," she continued, "We couldn't reach Joe, so I called Dale. I knew that she could—and would—help. She listened and called in back up, but as it got darker and darker, and we thought there would not be a search until morning, there was nothing more I could do. I felt so powerless and afraid, and right there in the woods, I knelt down and prayed. She paused, looked at Oliver. "And then, as if by Divine Delivery, Rita and Norman showed up with Sandy".

He wiped a stray tear from her face with his thumb, let it linger a moment, deeply regretting that his misadventure with his father had caused her grief, humbled, because he knew that Shane had struggled with faith, but found it because she was afraid for him . He took it all in. _She prayed for us, for me._

He reached for her hand, and as their fingers interlaced, sitting side by side on the porch swing, he felt a deep sense of contentment, like he was home. They fell into a brief silence, this one much more comfortable than the silence of the earlier evening.


	8. Chapter 8

Shane nestled in closer, resting her head on his shoulder, amazed at just how right this felt. Oliver released her hand and placed his arm around her drawing her in even closer. She closed her eyes, thinking about how long she'd wanted this, how long she'd waited _for him_. On some level, she felt this had all started the very day she'd been sent to the DLO, but she knew that if they'd just jumped right in then, it would have ended in disaster.

 _Fall hard, fall fast, fall apart, right?_ She'd lived that before, and it just didn't work. This certainly hadn't happened quickly. And they'd spent a lot of time dancing around the topic of their relationship, but during that dance, they had gotten to know each other. She hoped that things were about to change for the better.

Shane lifted her head and turned sideways in her seat, facing Oliver. She smiled at him, took a breath, reached for his hand. Was it odd that she wanted to feel connected to him as she took the leap to move the conversation-the relationship-forward?

"You look like you're getting ready to confront me, Shane". He teased.

She smiled, sheepishly. "We finally made it to our first date. She averted her eyes, but managed to meet his again. "It started out a little rocky, but I had a wonderful time, Oliver." She took a deep breath and continued. "Do you remember what you said in the chapel, about not wanting our first date to be our last?" He nodded his head and chuckled.

"Yes, Shane. I recall that quite clearly." He paused, looking at her intently, suddenly very serious. "I would very much like to have a second date with you. " He paused again, searching for the right words.

"A second, a third, a fourth," he began. "But before that second date, there's something I need you to know, Shane." He held her eyes with his own, saw her swallow, and noted the worried look he'd seen several times that evening, crossed her face again.

"I cannot date casually, Shane. I cannot take this—us—lightly." He took her hand in his. "The last time I approached a relationship casually, I ended up in a marriage that wasn't right or either of us, and it ended up causing me to put my life on hold. It caused hurt and pain in my other relationships. I intend to take our dating—our relationship—very seriously. If we are going to date, I need this to be two adults who care about each other, working to figure out if this relationship can be something long-term. I need to know if that's what you want too."

Shane looked at him, and felt those darned butterflies in her stomach returning in full force. She held his hand as she looked at him and responded. I've done casual dating, too. And it ended up in a lot of compromise on my part, with a man who seemed more interested in a relationship than in me. I want this to be about what we want…together. I want something …serious…too."

He let out a breath, and she did too, suddenly feeling more relaxed. He smiled, and she returned the smile. Their thoughts were aligned, and the chapter in their lives with them dancing—figuratively—around their relationship was about to end, and another was about to begin if he'd just take the next step. He remembered what Bobby had said at the flower shop earlier that evening. " _If you think this is something special, don't think, just jump in. It's worth it. Love is worth it._ "

Oliver reached out briefly touching Shane's cheek before pulling his hand away. He held her gaze, then dropped his eyes to her lips, and she flushed. "Shane, I'd very much like to kiss you. May I kiss you?" He asked, his voice sounding different, gravelly to his own ears.

She looked taken aback by the question.


	9. Chapter 9

He'd asked if he could kiss her. No one had ever asked her permission. That simple question, so intoxicating, so surprising, had touched her deeply, as if he'd already kissed her. She could barely find her voice. "Yes."

Oliver moved in slowly, and her heart raced so fast that she was sure he could feel it as he leaned in close. His lips touched hers. Her stomach fluttered. Her heart jack hammered, and she kissed him back. She saw stars.


	10. Chapter 10

Oliver leaned in, certain that his world was about to change. He was about to jump in with both feet. His heart beat so rapidly and so strongly that it felt it could leap out of his chest. His lips met hers, and he felt a jolt of electricity course through him that caught him completely off guard as he kissed her, and, he noted, as she was kissing him back.

 _Did Shane feel this too_? He had to know.

He pulled back, looked into her eyes. She smiled shyly back at him, looking a little off guard herself. _Why had he waited so long to kiss her?_

"Wow!" They said in unison, and then they both began to laugh. Oliver gathered her up against him, and as she laid her head on his shoulder, he began to rock the porch swing. They both sighed contented sighs. It had been an amazing first date.


End file.
